JUNIOR 15 record breakers, Eden Brittle, Matt Harris, Nick Wilson and Dan Crowther, with cox Abbie Dunn.

A large contingent of rowers from the Bideford Reds club defied freezing cold temperatures to race in the City of Bristol Head of the River race on Sunday against more than 150 crews from the Bristol area, the Midlands and London.

The group of juniors and veterans gained a number of top finishes, including two of the crews breaking the course record in their categories..

The Junior 15 quad of Dan Crowther, Nick Wilson, Matt Harris, Eden Brittle and cox Abbie Dunn recorded an impressive 12 mins 18.02 secs to finish top in their class and also top junior crew in any age and type of boat.. They also beat the previous course record of 12 mins 31.47 secs set back in 2007.

Crowther and Harris then teamed up to also win the Junior 15 double scull in 14.03.00, while Nick Wilson then took to a single scull to finish in almost exactly the same time as his crew mates in the double.

At the other end of the age scale, the Reds’ Masters Four of Ali Peake, Dave Powe, Dave Godfrey and Dave Bates, with cox Keeley Mills, took the honours in the Masters E (av age 55) section. They finished in a time of 11.38.03 to beat that course record by more than 30 seconds.

Their were other class wins for Junior 14 sculler Will Huxtable and for the Junior 15 girls quad of Abby Jones, Beth Gayson, Libbie Willis, Jess Cox and cox Chole Pennington.

In their first ever competitive race, the club’s Junior 13 mixed quad four of Isaac Crowther, Georgia Gibbons, Georgia O’Connor and Alex Wilson, acquited themselves well over a shorter 1,500 metre course.

l PICTURED alongside are Jumior 15 record breakers Eden Brittle, Matt Harris, Nick Wilson, Dan Crowther and cox Abbie Dunn